This invention relates to a labeling device and method and, more particularly to a labeling device in which there is action-inducing, instructional printing on the release liner normally associated with a pressure sensitive adhesive-equipped label.
Historically, release liners have not been imprinted because they are thrown away. When a person desiring to use a label pulls the label from the carrier sheet, there is nothing useful normally remaining in the carrier sheet, i.e., the release liner which is made up of an inexpensive paper stock coated with a release material such as a silicone. Occasionally, manufacturers of labels have printed logos on the liner--before coating--but this is not instructional, as for conveying information to be acted upon.
Now, however, I have found a novel use of release liners and in a first advantageous embodiment, the release liner (imprinted before coating) serves as a security device.
As an illustration, some fairly sizeable "big ticket" items such as television sets have their selling price labels switched--so that the person involved can purchase a $2,000 set for $500. This stems from the fact that the label (provided by the manufacturer as part of a business form) carries a bar code or similar indicia which is scanned at the check-out point and the price charged according to the retail store's computer output for that particular bar code. Retail stores have been using removable labels for scanning because of the difficulty at check-out of handling large bulky items so as to subject the labels on the cartons to scanning.
Now, by duplicating the bar code from the label on the release liner, a scanning check may be made to see whether the bar codes on both label and liner (in this particular embodiment) are the same. If not, an attempted fraud is detected.
In general, the use (by imprinting) of an item which previously was thrown away, has many advantageous applications. The release liner itself can be used as an additional copy. It can serve as an inventory control. And outside the realm of point of sale induced actions, it can perform other functions--for example, it can carry instructions. An example is where the purchaser is buying a lawn mower and the label has a warning about use--and the release liner has an instruction where to place the warning label. Thus, in broad terms, the release liner provides information causing the reader to act, i.e., providing action-inducing instructional printing.
In the simplest use, the printing on the liner stack can be a bar code and this can vary from label to label. The same variable information can be printed on the labels themselves, as when the labels are being employed for different wares. In the case where the wares are identical and provided in substantial quantity, the entire roll or stack can carry the same variable information, i.e., the variable information is cyclically changed after one or more positions on the liner have been printed.
Other objects and advantages of the invention will be seen in the details of the ensuing specification.